Steering knuckle joint



Feb. 24, 1942. KATcHER I STEERING KNUCKLE JOINT Original Filed June 11,1938 V. II/ 9 WAN/4 75H m 44 W11 f m V A INVENTOR BY JWorrz's MakerATTORNEY t Patented Feb. 24, 1942 STEERING'KNUCKLE-JOINT Morris Katcher,New York-Y. o I Original application June 11, 193s, warm."

213,125, now Patent No; 2,197,889, dated April I 23, 1940., Divided-andthis application February 8,1940,SerialNo.317,996f f I 6 Claims;(01.28740 This application-is a division of my pending of stud ll.

application,. Serial No. 213,125, now matured into Patent No. 2,197,889,dated April 23, 1940.

This invention relates to a steering knuckle joint providing limiteduniversality of movements and is particularly adapted for use in tie rodand drag link connections "for the steering mechanism ofautomotive-vehicles.

It is an object of this invention to provide dust exclusion means forthe joint which will permit relative movement of the housing and thestud and yet prevent dust from entering the housing. The dust exclusionmeans comprises a cap of flexible substantially inelastic material,preferably leather, although the material need not necessarily beinelastic as long as it is flexible and unafiectedby the oil from theknuckle and substantially impervious to theoil.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon furtherstudy ofthe description and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a section of the devicein which the upper end of the dust capis fastened to the housing by an annular shell welded to the outside ofthe housing.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of the device showing a modification in the way theupper end'of the dust cap is fastened to the housing, an annular shellsprung or spun on the housing being used.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-'-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5is'a cross section through the annular shell of Fig. 1 shown with thedust cap in extended position and the clamping ring at its bottom, saidparts being removed from the rest of the device, the prongs hooking onthe dust cap not being bent back as yet.

Threaded shank 6 is provided with a housing I at its end. The upper endof housing I is closed by means of a circular plate 8 set in a groovenear said end, the upper edges of the housing being peened over at 9 toretain said plate. The lower end 013 housing I on the inside isconcavedto present a surface 29 in the form of a spherical zone. Nestingin said lower end is a bushing 49 of anti-friction metal such asphosphor-bronze. Stud II is provided with a head [2 whose side surfaceis in the form of a spherical zone fitting inside of bushing 49. The topof head I2 is flat except for a substantially hemispherical depressionor socket l3. The center of the sphere of which depression [3 is asegment, 15 in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis ing I4. cap I1down on ball'bearing I4, the upper end of said spring reacting againstthe bottom .of

plate 8. *The pressure'of spring l5produces a; certain desirable amountof friction between head l2 and the inside of bushing 49 which preventsrattling and lost motion. Further said pressure moves the partstogether-to take up for wear. The device just'descr'ibed is largelysimilar to that shown in my Patent No. 2,178,206. A steel shell 52 isspotwelded to the' outside of housing I at spots 59. Dust cap 53 has itsupper portion set in between shell 52 and the outside: of housing "I, asetback 54 in the outside of said:

housing being provided. The lower end of dust cap 53'is crimped in'aring42 sprung in groove 43. .Shell 52 is provided with prongs 55 whichextend through the sheet of material forming cap 53, Figs. 1, 2 and 5,said prongs beingbent.

over on the inside. In Fig. 5, prongs 55 are shown before beingcompletely bent.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

- shell 56 is fastened to housing I either by spin- The terms relatingto position such as upper l and lower as used in the claims are intendedto be relative only.

I claim:

1. A joint comprising a housing, a stud extending into the housingthrough an aperture therein, said stud having its end in the housinguniversally mounted therein for limited universal rotation between thehousing and the stud, said housing having an encircling groove on itsoutside, a shell having an inwardly projecting bead near its upper endfitting in said groove, and a tubular cap of flexible sheet materialopen at opposite ends, the upper portion of said cap coming between theoutside of the housing and the inside of the shell, the lower portion ofthe cap encircling the stud and being attached thereto closing off thelower endof the cap.

2. A joint comprising a housing, a stud extending into the housingthrough an aperture therein, said stud having its end in the housinguniversally mounted therein for limited universal rotation between thehousing and the, stud, a

ountedin socket I3 is a ball bean Compression spring [5 presses socket3. A joint comprising a housing, a stud ex-' tending into the housingthrough an aperture in its lower end, said stud having its end in thehousing universally mounted therein: forlimited universal rotationbetween thehousing and: the

stud, a shell in the form of, a; skirt fastened to:

the outside of the housing at its intermediate 1 portion and encirclingthe lower portion thereof,

the bottom of the shell coming below the bottom of. the housinggand-atubular-cap of; flexible: sheet material: open. at opposite ends, theupper portiorr of: said cap coming; between the' outside of the housingand thesinside-ofthei-shell, thelower portion of; the cap encircling thestud" and being attached thereto closing: offv the lower end of the 4-Aajoint compri'singzahousing; a stud extending; into.- thehousingthrouglr anaperture in its lower end; said stud having itsportion in the housing. universally mounted therein. for limiteduniversal, rotation .between, the housing: and the stud-ya shellencircling and fastened; at; its'upper end to' an intermediate portionof the: housing, saidzshellbeing inthe form: of a skirt, the lowerportion: of: the skirtdiverging: radially. outward from; the housing,and a, tubularcap of flexible material open at opposite ends, the upperportion ofthe cap coming between the outside-of the'housing and theinside of the shell',. the" lower portion of the cap encircling the studand being attached thereto, closing off the lower end of the cap.

5. A joint comprising a housing, a stud extending into the housingthrough an aperture in its lower end, said stud having its portion inthe housing universally mounted therein for limited universal rotationbetween the housing and the stud, a shell in the form of a skirtencircling the housing and fastened at its upper portion to the outsideof the housing at an intermediate place in the heightv of the housing,and a tubular cap of flexible material open at opposite ends, theupperportion of the cap encircling the housing and being pinched allaround between the shell andtlre housing substantially at saidintermediate. place,,the:1ower portion of the cap encircling the'st'ud'a'and" being attached thereto closing off the lower end of thecap.

6, A joint comprising a housing, a stud extending: into'the housingthrough anaperture' in its lower end, saidi stud having its endi inth'ehousing; universally mounted" therein for; limited universal rotationbetween the housing and the stud; the lower endof the housing being ofsmaller; outside diameter than. at its intermediate. portion on. itsoutside, a tubular shell in the form of a skirt; fastened to, the:outside ofrthe housing at said intermediateportion andiencircling the,lower portion thereof, said shell having its lower portion. of. smallerdiameter than its upper portion: and of substantially larger diameter'than the: lower end of the housing, and a tubular'caprof flexibleisheetmaterial open at opposite ends, the upperrportion' of said cap comingbetween the outside of the housing and the-inside of the shell, thel'ower'portion of the cap encircling the stud and being attached theretoclosing off the-lower end of the'cap.

MORRIS KATCI-IER.

